The GPF Chairwoman Dr. Junsook Moon’s speech was delivered in her stead by the Global Peace Women International President, Ms. Hanako Taura.

In 2023, the bi-annual Global Peace Convention was held as a series of interactive events, forums, and programs under the theme, “One Family Under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” Unlike previous Conventions, the program’s concurrent sessions were held in an hybrid online and in-person format, which allowed for wider global engagement over a six-week period spanning from November 1 to December 14, 2023. The culminating events of the Convention were held in Manila, Philippines from December 10-14, 2023.

Find a transcript of Dr. Junsook Moon’s speech below. 

Congratulations. We have accomplished a lot during this convention. Over the last month, guided by the theme “One Family under God: A Vision for National Transformation and A Civilization of Peace,” we envisioned how we will transform our nations and regions – our families and our consciousness – to build an era of peace.

In this beautiful nation of the Philippines, we are affirming that just as you have made a nation of a thousand islands – beneath the differences of our diverse cultures, languages, faiths and backgrounds – we are all one family, connected by a common spiritual origin, our shared humanity and a mutual commitment to a vision of peace and prosperity for all.

We opened the convention in November, right after Dia De Los Santos, when you traveled many miles to your hometowns to honor your ancestors. And we are closing not long before Christmas, when your family members come home from around the world, taking time to invest in faith and family.

Each of our cultures and faiths have similar traditions that acknowledge the centrality and sanctity of family, which is what I want to speak with you about today.

One family Under God: Faith, Family and Service

As my husband, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, noted this morning, we stand at a turning point. The vision of One Family Under God is inspiring a global movement for peace, asking us to re-envision how we relate, organize, do business and transform nations. The infrastructure for lasting peace starts in our hearts and in our families. Therefore, it is imperative that we open the way for more women and families to sit at the peacebuilding table.

Recognizing this, we founded Global Peace Women in 2011. Our work has helped women embrace and contribute their unique capabilities to cultivate peace at home and in their communities, nations and world, and recognize the family as a foundational element in peacebuilding.

Guiding our efforts has been Global Peace Foundation’s values-based approach to peacebuilding that engages faith, family and service.

Faith traditions have articulated universal principles and shared values that undergird peace. By faith humanity has drawn closer to the source of truth and goodness, the force of human progress, the origin of our inalienable rights and freedoms, and our immutable value, our creator, God, and the enduring aspiration of global peace and prosperity. Therefore, it behooves us to engage people and communities of faith in this ongoing pursuit for peace.

As faith has led in the discovery of the principles and values of the vision of One Family Under God, family is where we translate them into relationships. The family is sacred – the most basic human social unit where life begins and is nurtured, and where we form our primary relationships that define how we relate to ourselves and the world.

And in service, we affirm our interconnectedness as one family and our capacity to look beyond personal interests and challenges to live for a greater good. It is the starting point of relationships of trust and mutuality. Furthermore, service empowers our agency, the power of the human spirit to change our reality through affirming peace and substantially expressing true love.

Faith, family and service connect us to the fundamentals of peace – principles and values, relationships, starting from the family, and ultimately the origin of this vision, that which holds this vision together, God, our Creator.

Peacebuilding and the Family Imperative  

The state of our world today could draw dark clouds of fear and hopelessness. However, I found that no tempest can quell the spark of peace that burns in the hearth of the home, steady and ready to light the way. “Peace begins in the home,” coined in the formative stages of Global Peace Women, reminds us of this elementary place of peacebuilding – the family.

The family is a deeply personal, first-hand experience of peace. Investing in our children is investing in the future good of humanity, a very real affirmation of the infinite value and unlimited potential that resides in each person. Moreover, the extended family connects three generations: past, present and future, shedding light on what is most important our lives. At the end of the day, beyond accolades, wealth and titles, what remains are the people we have raised, the relationships and love that we have cultivated, and the legacy of good that we leave.

A family that pursues the dream of One Family Under God, puts the greater good, a shared good, first. This common ground,forms a foundation for men and women to build and grow together, not in competition but in complementarity. Like in marriage where a husband and wife commit to each other to form a family, bring new life into the world, and raise children who can become virtuous citizens who carry on the quest for global peace through generations – their differences become the most important aspects of their partnership.

Men and women were designed beautifully different. We need each other to see the whole picture of peace: sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers. We can uplift both men and women, honoring their innate God-given value and empowering each to contribute their unique and complimentary gifts to a greater good.

Women, as mothers, wives, sisters and daughters, we touch all lives. We are central to peace, in the family and world. Our empowerment starts, not with skills but with character, starting from our service-mindedness. We can be agents of peace when we aspire for big dreams – the biggest dream being the aspiration of One Family under God, starting in our families.

Just as the peacebuilding work of Global Peace Foundation within communities and nations is guided by universal principles and shared values, so too are relationships that engender peace at home. Our families need faith and service-mindedness if we are to raise true peacebuilders who will build communities, institutions, industries, societies and nations of a world of peace for all.

Family and National Transformation

Let me draw on a real example. My husband has advanced models of national transformation throughout the world – in Paraguay and on the Korean peninsula. He always starts with a vision which serves as a nexus to strengthen social cohesion, build consensus around shared values and elevate the moral and innovative leadership of the people. This lays the foundation for good governance and transparency, which is necessary for sustainable and equitable economic development.

Last year, Action for Korea United launched a three-year campaign to raise 10 million Korean Dreamers who pursue the Korean Dream, a vision of a free and unified Korean that can serve as a beacon of peacebuilding for the world. The Korean Dream is grounded on the ethic of hongik ingan, that calls the Korean people to live to benefit all humanity.

A crucial part of this endeavor is strengthening the Korean family, which has been a stronghold for Hongik Ingan, preserved in traditions and virtues handed down through generations. One such example is the special ceremony for a child’s first year birthday, dol. The baby chooses three objects that signify how they will contribute to humanity. For example, a brush means they will bring wisdom to the world, a rope means they will have a long life to do good, rice means they will bring prosperity, a book means they will seek truth to enlighten the world. This beautiful tradition calls a child, even from age one, to nobly live in service to humanity.

However, the pursuit of material development and prosperity has weakened the family and subsequently the social fabric of South Korea. Elderly are left to fend for themselves, the birth rate is one of the lowest in the world, while the suicide rate ranks in the top five. Youth are afraid to get married because of high cost of living and difficulties in finding and building lasting relationships of trust between men and women.

This is a far cry for the Korean extended family model of the past, where children were a blessing and every family member knew they had a special and important place. It was not perfect, but it honored principles and virtues that are important foundations for national transformation.

Korea’s quest for peaceful reunification based on the Korean Dream holds important lessons for peacebuilding and self-determination, particularly for emerging countries in the Global South. There are timeless jewels in our cultures that we must fuse in the foundations of national development. As we advance models of national transformation and pursue a civilization of peace –  we must recognize that it cannot happen without our families and without God. 

Launching a Movement of Service-Minded Youth for Global Peace

Today we can see the labors of love from such families, as we launch a groundbreaking initiative – the Global Peace Corps.  

A generation of youth is spearheading this global effort to champion the vision of One Family under God. You are the people power that will set a high standard of selfless service, peacebuilders who will redefine the landscape of our world. You have the potential to tackle the most critical issues of our time: break down barriers, uplift, protect and engage every person, men and women so they can actively participate in peacebuilding, and inspire and someday even birth and raise subsequent generations of peacebuilders. From the bottom up and top down you are setting in motion the mechanisms for peacebuilding. I’m sure your parents are very proud.

Closing

There is so much hope. Dr. Moon always reminds us, “Dreamers are the ones who change the world.” And this room is full of dreamers from around the world, from all generations, and coming as families. Let’s commit to this sea change, from the Philippine Islands to the world, bringing this vision of peace, the vision of One Family Under God into reality, starting in our homes.

May God bless you and your families.      

Thank you very much.

“Each [Global Peace Award] winner has demonstrated in their areas of expertise an uncommon passion for excellence and commitment to realizing a world of peace.”

Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon

The 2023 Global Peace Awards recipients were honored at an awards gala in Manila, the Philippines, on December 14. The Global Peace Awards underscore the importance of moral and innovative leadership, an ethic of public service, and a willingness to transcend boundaries of religion, ethnicity, culture, and nationality. The distinguished awardees are moral and innovative leaders who have dedicated their lives to peacebuilding and public service with a strong sense of integrity and a willingness to serve others under the vision expressed by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF): we are One Family Under God.

The following describes each of the nine award categories and honorees.

Legacy of Service and Peace–Honors distinguished persons whose lifelong achievements have created a legacy of service to others through their commitment to peacebuilding and taking responsibility to address difficult community and national challenges, inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.

Dr. Manu Chandaria is the Chairman and CEO of Comcraft Group, a business conglomerate that oversees operations in over 40 countries worldwide. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Chandaria practices a simplistic lifestyle and actively engages in service to humanity. He is well-known for his charitable work and global contributions to peacebuilding, including forming the Chandaria Foundation and funding healthcare, education, and environmental initiatives. Dr. Chandaria is also on the Board of GPF Kenya, where his guidance and support have been invaluable in creating character education initiatives, promoting entrepreneurial skills for youth, and establishing the Million Tree planting project.

Vinicio Cerezo is the former President of Guatemala and a visionary leader dedicated to peacebuilding who, since the inception of GPF, has worked to advance GPF’s goals in Latin America and beyond. As a GPF Global Leadership member, he has tirelessly dedicated himself to peacebuilding. President Cerezo is a founding member of the GPF-affiliated Latin American Presidential Mission—a collaborative effort involving more than 30 former Latin American presidents committed to regional integration, effective and transparent governance, and sustainable and equitable development. He founded the Esquipulas Foundation for Central America Integration in 2008 and was elected as the first-ever former president to serve as Secretary General of the Central American Integration System in 2017.

Interfaith and Spiritual Leadership—Honors a leader who recognizes the central importance of spiritual leadership as a moral compass and embraces interfaith collaboration to resolve conflicts, build peace, and create ethical societies based on universal principles and shared values that honor the value, dignity, and God-given rights of all humans.

Reverend Father Joseph Mutie is the National Chairman of the Interreligious Council of Kenya and the General Secretary of the Organization of African Institutional Churches—Kenya Chapter. Rev. Mutie has led the council in providing moral guidance to the nation using interfaith relations, shuttle diplomacy, and mediation. He champions peacebuilding through interfaith cooperation and unity, engaging and inspiring people from different religious, racial, and tribal backgrounds to partner to create a peaceful coexistence. Partnering with GPF Kenya, Rev. Mutie has supported interfaith outreach as a critical means to mitigate conflict in local and national elections and address important social issues. His belief in a ministry of presence and including spiritual values as a natural part of the peacebuilding process continues to set a positive example for future leaders.

Freedom of Conscience and Religion—Honors an outstanding leader who has championed the fundamental freedoms the Creator endowed to all human beings, especially the right of every person to follow their conscience and live according to their faith or beliefs.

Greg Scarlatoiu was born and raised in communist Romania, where he learned the fundamental importance of human rights and freedoms to peace and a developed society. While a university student in South Korea, he was exposed to the realities of the divided nation. Later, as a naturalized U.S. citizen, Mr. Scarlatoiu became the director of the Committee for Human Rights In North Korea in Washington, D.C., promoting human rights as the mainstay of North Korean policies. His organization uses extensive research to collect facts and reports on the plight of North Koreans. He teaches at Yonsei University, is a frequent guest speaker on various news channels worldwide, has testified before Congress on North Korea’s human rights issues, and is a strong GPF partner working towards achieving the goal of a free and unified Korea.

Strengthening Families—Honors an individual for their efforts in uplifting the family as the most important social institution and for effectively promoting committed marriages and a healthy environment for nurturing and building character in children.

Conchita “Ching” Chanyungco is a wife, mother, entrepreneur, and religious and civic activist. She relies on her experience raising a family and engaging in community service to chair and support numerous GPF and Global Peace Women initiatives to strengthen families and create flourishing communities. Mrs. Chanyungco currently serves as vice president of Global Peace Women in the Philippines and other key positions in women’s organizations such as Inner Wheel Club of the Philippines Foundation, Inc., The National Council of Women of the Philippines, and President of the YWCA FFPI Marikina Chapter. As a wife, mother, and grandmother, she is most proud of her family and their community service endeavors.

Outstanding Service—Honors an individual for exceptional efforts in promoting volunteerism and advancing a service culture, contributing substantial progress in youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, education, and other social impact areas.

Dr. Markandey Rai, chairman of GPF India, has dedicated his long and distinguished career to various capacities for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Dr. Rai strongly advocates for GPF’s vision of One Family Under God and has spearheaded various peace forums worldwide, including the Global Peace Leadership Conferences and Civil 20 (C20) of the G20 in 2023. His leadership as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the India Council for International Cooperation and as a member of GPF’s Global Peace Council has been vital to advancing global peace and the cause of the Indian diaspora. Dr. Rai has served on the boards of many academic, cultural, and social bodies. He has also served in other significant peacebuilding roles and is the founding chairman of the Indo-Pacific Peace Forum and president of the Global Peace and Development Service Alliance president.

Philanthropy and Corporate Citizenship—Recognizes leadership that has demonstrated significant commitment to peacebuilding initiatives through funding and partnership engagement that strives to improve and enhance the quality of life for all.

Steven Tan is the president of SM Supermalls, whose leadership extends well beyond the retail sector to promoting social change and global peace. His commitment to SM Cares and GPF’s peacebuilding initiatives and proposals is evident in his unwavering support for the Global Youth Summit (GYS), where he has been the driving force behind this transformative platform since 2017. Since Mr. Tan’s involvement, GYS’s success has grown exponentially—586,500 engaged youth, 950 schools reached, and a remarkable presence in 62 countries. His staunch commitment to GYS has empowered the next generation of leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue and service activities to enrich the lives of the global community. Mr. Tan’s legacy as an advocate for inclusion, women, and youth empowerment not only enriches lives but also sets a new standard for service and cooperation among public, private, and nonprofit enterprises.

Innovative Scholarship—Recognizes an individual whose research and issue advocacy at a policy institution or academia has advanced innovative solutions in building peace, social reconciliation, and human development.

Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt is Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute and Senior Advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research. He is also a founding member of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and a member of the advisory council for the Korea Economic Institute. Dr. Eberstadt has authored several books on Korean affairs and holds multiple degrees from Harvard and the London School of Economics. His significant thought leadership and extensive political economy writings have provided valuable insight for addressing complex issues such as the divided Korean peninsula. His engagement with GPF and the Action for Korea United network of scholars and academics through the International Forum on One Korea has inspired much-needed international support and attention to the issue of Korean unification. His writings have underscored the plight of the North Korean people and the need for South Korea and its allies to remain vigilant in their effort to create a unified Korea.

Culture of Peace Award—Honors an individual whose significant work has helped to bridge social divisions, meet critical human needs, or promote a culture of peace through the arts, music, sports, and other creative endeavors.

Bum Hun Lee is an artist and ardent supporter of the Korean Dream Movement led by Dr. Hyun Jin Moon. His commitment to using art to achieve this dream is present throughout his artistic work and influential leadership. As President of the Korean Fine Arts Association, he curated a poignant 2018 exhibition featuring 80 masterpieces of Korean, Chinese, and North Korean artists, aligning with the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. This event emphasized global unity, transcending divisions on the Korean Peninsula. Further highlighting his visionary pursuit of unity, Chairman Lee’s dedicated effort continued in 2019 with the North-South Peace Art Exhibition at the Korea Art Festival and the North-South Art Exhibition at the National Assembly. In 2020, he became the 28th President of the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea. Under his leadership, the Federation championed the Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign, rallying 1.3 million Korean artists to actively contribute to this transformative movement.

Moral and Innovative Leadership—Honors a person who exemplifies and promotes moral and innovative leadership through programs that build good character and cultivate creativity through experiential learning, public and private education, and civil society initiatives.

Dr. Margarita Consolacion C. Ballesteros is the Director of the External Partnerships Service (EPS) of the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), where she supervises the department’s local and international partnership engagements. She is the senior director for partnerships with multinational and bilateral agencies, the private sector, local government units, national government agencies, and civil society organizations. Dr. Ballesteros has long advocated for youth empowerment, twenty-first-century skills, awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and civic consciousness as core competencies for today’s learners. This work has been closely tied with her many years of work with GPF in the areas of transformative education, moral and innovative leadership, and peacebuilding. Dr. Ballesteros has been a strong and proactive leader in GPF’s education-related activities, and her leadership and support have been critical for GPF Philippines’ work in raising the next generation of moral and innovative peacebuilders.

Global Peace Foundation is an international non-sectarian, non-partisan, nonprofit organization, which promotes an innovative, values-based approach to peacebuilding, guided by the vision of One Family under God. GPF engages and organizes a global network of public and private-sector partners who develop community, national, and regional peacebuilding models as the foundation for ethical and cohesive societies. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon is the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation.

“We need to forge a new global identity that can embrace and harmonize the positive elements of more localized identities. Such an identity must be rooted in the universal principles that all the great spiritual and ethical traditions share.” —Dr. Hyun Jin. Preston Moon (Global Peace Convention 2023, the Philippines)

Global Peace Foundation held the 2023 Global Peace Convention in the Philippines from November 1 to December 14 with the theme, “One Family under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” In his keynote address, Dr. Moon spoke on the unifying framework shared by all the major faith traditions. Together and with an acceptance of shared values, humanity can forge a path to peace with public service and civic engagement.

One Korea Forum Concludes 2023 Global Peace Convention Track on Peace, Security and Human Rights

Since its founding in 2009, the Global Peace Foundation has advanced an approach to reunification that empowers the Korean people, brings focus to the human rights abuses and security threats posed by the North Korean regime, and sets forth a vision of a free, united, and prosperous Korea that reflects the Korean people’s shared history, values, and traditions.

GPF has hosted dozens of International Forums on One Korea, convened in the ROK National Assembly, the U.S. Congress, the Great Hurl in Mongolia, and capital cities in Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

GPF has also organized rallies, K-pop concerts, seminars, and working groups in Korea and globally to build grassroots support for reunification.

The International Forum on One Korea on December 12, hosted as part of the 2023 Global Peace Convention in Manila, marked the conclusion of previous sessions on Korean security and human rights issues hosted virtually in November and December.

Jose Luis Yulo Jr., president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands

Addressing the International Forum in Manila, Jose Luis Yulo Jr., president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands and former president and CEO of the Philippine Stock Exchange, brought attention to the convergence of ideas in three recent publications: the 2014 book Korean Dream: Vision for a Unified Korea by GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon; 2030: One World, One Community, One Family, by the former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos; and “Five Pillars for Navigating the Future,” a recent pamphlet by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce.

“They all agree that unity, freedom and peace are the precursors of economic development,” he said. Can peace or economic development exist without freedom? Spiritual well-being, emotional well-being, health well-being, mental well-being, and finally material well-being—economic development—can all happen if we have unity, freedom, and peace.”

Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt, Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute

Economic prospects of reunification

Addressing the stark failure of the North Korean regime to minimally manage its economy and the many misconceptions relating to the economic burdens of reunification, Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt, Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute, said North Korea ranks among the biggest economic losers in the post-war era.

North Korea, he said, is now subsisting on unreported barter, economic piracy, aid capturing, and Hobbesian entrepreneurship. “Should we really be surprised that the government with the world’s worst practices and policies also had the worst economic results in the world? Business climate matters.”

Answering the many daunting projections about the costs and burdens of reunification, Dr. Eberstadt presented an in-depth analysis of the economic implications of reunification, which he summarized in four points:

First, the longer reunification is postponed, the wider the gap between north and south, the bigger the task and the longer it will take. Second, North Korea’s present poverty is the entirely predictable consequence of three generations of extraordinary misrule by a worst-in-class dictatorship. Third, the economic reconstruction of Northern Korea will be an immense project. But if the returns on investment in this project are high, the project can basically pay for itself in the long run. And fourth, thanks to generation after generation of market-led modern economic development, both South Korea and the world as a whole are richer and more productive than ever before, better poised to mobilize and deploy the immense amounts of capital and know-how a successful Korean reunification will require.

Dr. Chong-Soo Park, former chairman of the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation Through Economic Development

Dr. Chong-Soo Park, former chairman of the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation Through Economic Development, warned that unification reached without preparation will become a disaster.

He said he proposed creating an international free-economic zone on the North Korea, China, and Russian border, which the United Nations had supported since 1991. All three countries have support this initiative, but western countries have largely been absent. He urged the UN to take an active role in supporting wider participation in such an economic zone. “Such an initiative can support the role of the UN and restore peace not only in Northeast Asia but also in the world,” Dr. Park said.

A new Korean nation

GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, addressing the forum extemporaneously, reflected on the ideals of the 1919 Korean Independence Movement that established a precedent for freedom and self-determination of colonized peoples in the twentieth century. He said those ideals, based on the traditional Korean ethos of Hongik Ingan, or “living for the benefit of humanity,” were especially relevant today, “where the world is fragmenting into its own little spheres, dredging up old animosities, hatred, bitterness, a sense of victimized and victimizers.”

GPF Chairman Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon

He also questioned the assumptions of the unification paradigm of a modern, cosmopolitan South absorbing the impoverished, soul-crushing North.

“I beg to differ in terms of the reality of the South,” he said. The Korean economy and its social demographics, and the chaebol system [of family-owned conglomerates] that stifles innovation, is not sustainable, the GPF chairman said. South Korea has the highest unemployment rate among the developed nations, he noted. With one of the best educated, most highly sophisticated and technical workforces, it reflects the weakness of the current system.

“That is why I was never a proponent of South Korea eating up North Korea and bringing it under the South Korean fold,” Dr. Moon remarked. “No, the Korean Dream unification framework is the creation of a new nation because we recognize, with eyes open, that both systems are flawed; and that we as Koreans, if we have a dream that we can share and dream together, can really create a new nation that is better than the sum of the two parts. That is what the Korean dream is about.”

The International Forum on One Korea was co-convened by the Global Peace Foundation, the One Korea Foundation. Blue Banner, Action for Korea United, and the Asia Institute.

The Global Peace Convention is a bi-annual convening of the Global Peace Foundation. Peace and Security was among eight tracks presented virtually and in-person from November 1-December 14, concluding with an in-person convening in Manila, the Philippines.

Learn more about the 2023 Global Peace Convention and GPF’s One Korea Global Campaign.

The Global Peace Convention 2023 wrapped up in Manila, the Philippines, with a powerful call to action centered on public service, civic engagement, and fostering peace through shared values and identity as one human family. This year’s theme, “One Family under God: Vision for National Transformation and Civilization of Peace,” resonated through both in-person and virtual sessions, engaging thousands of participants from 94 nations.

🔹 Virtual Sessions: Kicked off on November 1, addressing crucial issues such as improving security, tackling root causes of conflict, upholding rights of faith and conscience, and enhancing community resilience. They also emphasized the importance of women and youth’s active roles in decision-making.

🔹 In-Person Events: Participants in the Philippines experienced the vibrant Global Peace Youth Festival, the insightful International Forum on One Korea, the impactful Educators’ Congress, the prestigious Global Peace Awards Gala, and the main feature – the Convention Plenary.

Join us as we reflect on these transformative discussions and celebrate the collective effort toward a harmonious global community.

Watch the highlights below:

The culminating events of the 2023 Global Peace Convention were held in Manila, Philippines from December 10-14, 2023. The Main Plenary was on December 13th, during which Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon delivered the keynote address.

In 2023, the bi-annual Global Peace Convention was held as a series of interactive events, forums, and programs under the theme, “One Family Under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” Unlike previous Conventions, the program’s concurrent sessions were held in an hybrid online and in-person format, which allowed for wider global engagement over a six-week period spanning from November 1 to December 14.

Find a transcript of Dr. Moon’s speech below.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Mabuhay!  Thank you for joining us here in Manila, Philippines for this very significant Global Peace Convention, our first with an in-person gathering since the COVID pandemic. How much the world has changed in the meantime!

I want to thank all our partners and stakeholders here and from around the globe who are adding their insights and expertise in the key issue areas that we are tackling together. And I especially want to express my great appreciation to our Filipino hosts, colleagues, long-time friends and volunteers for their spirit, sincerity and dedication to the cause of building One Family under God.

The theme for this Global Peace Convention – as well as for every one of our Conventions going forward – is “One Family under God: Vision for National Transformation and a Civilization of Peace.” I ask you all to pause for a moment and reflect upon the scope and significance of that theme. Some might think it far too ambitious, but the world is in crisis and calls for a great vision to chart a path forward.

The Cold War and Loss of Spiritual Roots

Ladies and gentlemen, we see confusion and conflict all around us today, in domestic and international politics, economics, religion, and the realm of ideas. Old certainties are being called into question everywhere, and the methods of the past are proving incapable of meeting the challenges of the present. The world of peace and harmony that we hoped would emerge in the last decade of the 20th century with the collapse of the Soviet Union has failed to appear.

The roots of this confusion lie in the over-simplified framework of the Cold War. It was framed as an ideological war between two competing political and economic systems – democracy and free markets on the one side and tyranny and communism on the other. The West proclaimed the end of the Cold War as the triumph of their systems over its rivals, often over-emphasizing their merits.

However, those victorious voices had forgotten the spiritual foundations upon which westerndemocracy stood. There is no inherent virtue in either democracy or capitalism, for they are systems. It is the aspirations, principles and values that one pours into them that instills theirunique quality. In the case of the West, it was its Judeo-Christian heritage that defined its unique character.

In the absence of an overarching and unifying moral vision, democracies and free markets simply become an arena where competing interest groups game the system and vie for an advantage at the expense of their rivals. The potential for “mob-rule” and the tyranny of the majority had always been a weakness of democracy going all the way back to the ancient Greeks and later the Roman civilization. There have been many examples in the modern era where democratically elected governments have gradually extended their power and became autocratic regimes, most notably the rise of the Nazi party during the Weimar Republic in Germany.

The American Founding and God’s Sovereignty

The American Founders understood that the success of any political system was intimately tied to the moral character of its citizens. John Adams, the second U.S. president, famously said,“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The 4th U.S. president, James Madison wrote that the Constitution requires “sufficient virtue among men for self-government,” otherwise, “nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another.”

Such views were the common understanding among that generation who were heavily influenced by Enlightenment philosophers. They find their clearest expression in the second paragraph of the United States Declaration of Independence, in which America’s Founding Fathers sought to assert their freedoms in the face of an obdurate British monarchy.

There they explained the foundation of their claim, declaring that all human beings are “endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights” among which are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These immortal words articulated a fundamental truth: that our essential rights and freedoms come from a transcendent Creator, and that no human institution or government can revoke or restrict them.

Without recognizing a transcendent source for these ideals, imperfect human beings and their institutions will inevitably curtail them, citing some greater collective purpose decreed by the almighty state. The American founders clearly understood such flaws in human nature; they countered human claims to ultimate authority with the “sovereignty of God.”

The United States thus became a new type of nation, founded upon an idea, rooted in the Judeo–Christian principles that permeated the culture. That founding idea was the political expression of a deeper understanding of the relationship between God and human beings – that we are created in the image of God, who is the Source of our value and unalienable rights.  The American aspiration to become One Nation under God, and thus be the “land of the free,” was directly linked to the understanding that freedom is the God-given right of all people.

God and the universal principles He created must be at the center of human existence. Recognizing and living by those principles creates true human value and dignity. That is the attainment of true freedom, and the meaning of living under the sovereignty of God. 

The Current State of Conflict and Confusion

Assertive statist regimes such as China and Russia clearly reject this framework and actively challenge it. Despite the end of the Cold War and dissolution of the Soviet Union, both governments uplift the power of the state above all else, with little regard for the rights of their own citizens or even of their neighbors.

Such systems cannot be sustained indefinitely. In the end they undermine their own authority by exercising it with total disregard for their citizens. Nevertheless, they remain a constant threat to peace and freedom, and their advances make it more important than ever for democracies to affirm the source of true freedoms and rights.

“One Nation under God” was meant to be a model on the national level of the world God desires—where people of all religions, nationalities, races, cultures and ethnicities could live together as one. In America today we are witnessing what happens when “under God” is taken out of daily life. Society loses its moral compass, as well as its sense of absolute values rooted intruth, righteousness and goodness. Losing its unifying center, it fragments and devolves into different identity groups fighting each other for power.

The same phenomenon is happening on the global level. Globalization promised to deliver a future of peace and prosperity, but it was focused purely on material values and needs. Understandably, it faced a serious backlash, because it failed to recognize the importance of the moral and spiritual dimension necessary for an ethical and cohesive global society.  As a direct result, religiously framed extremist and reactive nationalist movements have sprung up among groups who fear that globalism will erase their cultural traditions and local identities. That is why the world is fragmenting around us, lacking any overarching, harmonizing vision.

One Family under God: Forging a New Global Identity

Clearly, we need to forge a new global identity that can embrace and harmonize the positive elements of more localized identities. Such an identity must be rooted in the universal principles that all the great spiritual and ethical traditions share.

The world’s great cultural spheres stand upon the foundation of the major faith traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. The elements of truth which they express was a cohesive force that bonded local societies to have civilizational impact.  The time is ripe for a movement that can unite these traditions on universal principles and values and establishes a similar civilizational impact on a global scale; that builds on the American ideal of One Nation under God and expands it to build One Family under God on the world level.

We all share common DNA. Beyond our external differences, we are, essentially, all members of one human family who share the same origin, the Creator God. Our Convention theme is bold. It is visionary. It is challenging. It can be a powerful catalyst for what humanity needs today: A transformative movement aligned with universal principles that renews hearts and minds, inspiring vibrant new and lived experience of how we relate with each other – to our fellow human beings, to the varied cultures of the human family, to the natural world that sustains us, and, ultimately, to the One God who is the source of our being and in whose image we are made.

All of these aspirations are contained in our simple yet profound vision statement “One Family under God.”  The pursuit and achievement of these aspirations can lead to the transformation of nations, guided by transcendent principles and the values grounded in them, and the emergence of a civilization of peace. The vision of One Family under God shows us the pathway to true global unity in diversity and is the basis for future peace and prosperity.

Building Models for National Transformation

Realizing such an auspicious dream is no simple task; it takes concerted action by those who embrace the dream and make the cause their own. Already the work is underway, through the initiatives of Global Peace Foundation and our many partners, developing effective models to transform communities and nations. Those initiatives are engaging moral and innovative leaders and utilizing a multisector, values-based approach with remarkable impacts, demonstrating that the vision of One Family under God can indeed be the catalyst to transform nations.

Here in the Philippines, GPF has long worked with the Department of Education and other stakeholders to infuse character education, youth leadership development, and service learning into the educational experience of Filipino students. Philippines is becoming a global leader in transforming education. Just yesterday here at the Global Peace Convention, key educators announced the launch of Transforming Education 2050, a new global initiative promoting a practical plan for equipping the new generation to become moral and innovative citizens.

On the divided Korean peninsula, tremendous momentum is building for major breakthroughs for peaceful reunification, based on the Korean Dream framework as outlined in my book of that name. The Korean Dream movement that I am guiding is spearheaded by Action for Korea United (AKU), a coalition of civil society activists, organizations, NGOs and associations that represents millions of South Koreans. To date, we have more than a thousand partners united in the largest grassroots movement for unification in the history of South Korea.

Central to our work around the world is engaging youth and building character, and I have always stressed the importance of learning through experience. At our first Global Peace Convention in 2009 held here in Manila, I called for the creation of a Global Peace Corps. And I am very happy to announce that today we are launching that Global Peace Corps to be an important force in transforming nations and addressing global challenges.

The goal for Global Peace Corps is to tap into the idealism of youth and give it the tools to become the moral and innovative leaders who can promote social transformation through service, development, and peacebuilding projects.

As a first major initiative beginning in 2024, I am calling for Global Peace Corps volunteers to support the Korean Dream campaign for building a new Korea that is free, unified and a global model for peace. Imagine if young leaders from throughout Asia and around the world go to Korea and join with Korean youth in this great cause; amazing breakthroughs are possible, with enormous positive impacts for peace and prosperity for the region and entire world.

A unified Korea in which the vision of the Korean Dream is given practical expression will be a new nation of high ideals.  It will be a powerful witness to the fundamental principles expressed in the U.S. Declaration of Independence as well as being deeply rooted in its own historic cultural identity. In short, it will draw on the best lessons from the West while also looking to the ancient wisdom of Asia for new insights in the 21st century.

Conclusion

Today we stand at a crossroads that will impact the future in profound ways. The choices we make today about the principles and values that will direct our lives, societies and nations, will determine whether humanity takes the path toward peace and human flourishing, or to further conflict and chaos.

In particular, the true spiritual leaders among the great faith traditions should take up this charge as a divine commission. I challenge such leaders to come out of their separate religious boxes and work together to make the world of God’s original ideal a reality.

The work of the Global Peace Foundation, motivated by our compelling vision and rooted in universal principles and values, is more needed today than ever before. We have made important strides in our foundational work so far. Now I urge you to redouble your commitment to building a future where the ideals and principles we uphold are put into living practice. The time is short. The need is great. Let us take up our tools and get to work.

Thank you and may God bless you and your families.

The Korea Times published an interview with Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon during the Global Peace Convention 2023 held in Manila, Philippines. You can read the article below or the original version in full at the following link. 

Gyu-lee Lee of The Korea Times covered the youth festival that kicked off the five-day Global Peace Convention held in Manila, Philippines in December, 2023. You can read the article below or at the following link.

[The] vision that can guide humanity to world peace is none other than One Family under God. It builds off the idea of God’s sovereignty as the source of all human rights and freedoms, as well as expanding those ideas to the level of the family. It recognizes the relational nature of our human existence and how family shapes and forms our worldview. It acknowledges the value of diversity and recognizes the Creator as the common thread that holds all humanity together; just as good parents are the glue that keeps their often contentious and competitive children united in love within the ideal of family.

Most importantly, it raises humanity’s spiritual consciousness of the moral laws that should govern a truthful, righteous, and good life beyond the barriers of ideology, religion, ethnicity, race, or even nationality. It challenges us to rethink our paradigms and look beyond the failures of the past to what could be possible in the future if we only dare to dream big.

 Hyun Jin Preston Moon
Global Peace Convention 2021

The director of the movie, The Ten Commandments, Cecil B. DeMille said regarding the idea of universal principles, “It is impossible for us to break the law. We can only break ourselves against the law.” Just as understanding gravity and the laws of physics allow us to live in harmony rather than at odds with the created universe, we might say that our alignment with and understanding of God’s principles should be of utmost concern for all of us. 

For instance, when we look at the civil rights movement in the U.S., laws were challenged to align more closely with moral law and universal principles. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. clearly distinguished between unjust laws made by man and those that followed what he called moral law. In the letter, he declared, “One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” 

This points to a higher, transcendent law that should supersede the codes man creates. In fact, we should work to correct human laws where they are morally misaligned. To do otherwise force society to a place where “we can only break ourselves against the law.”

The spiritual traditions have long pointed to the issues of “ultimate concern” that set out the course by which people could live ethically here on earth. And so, the spiritual and wisdom traditions and their leaders have the duty to open the path forward. The idea of what is morally right and good need not be relegated to the realm of one religion or the other or only in the realm of the religions themselves. In discussion and dialogue of what is good, righteous, and true, the religions can establish the common ground to build broader social engagement and influence wider culture towards a greater end.

Perhaps because we live in this deeply divided time, we can see more clearly the need for this kind of moral leadership. Today, we need leaders that can reach across lines and barriers to imagine and work towards a better future for all humanity.  

Throughout history, God has inspired the founding of various faith and wisdom traditions to elevate human consciousness and cultivate ethical civilizations. And yet, continually, we see division and even conflict between people of different faiths, although the vast majority of moral precepts they seek to live by in daily life are exactly the same. The source of their contention is often rooted in differing institutional orthodoxies, doctrines and traditions. [W]hile they aspire to many of the same spiritual principles and goals, such as loving thy neighbor, living a moral life rooted in truth and righteousness, and, eventually, creating a world of peace.

– Dr. Hyun Jin Moon, Global Peace Convention 2021

The world’s religious traditions generally uphold the same universal principles and values. Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, mused that “I have often said the problem is never the faith -– it is the faithful, and how they behave towards each other.” While religions might hold different liturgical and doctrinal positions, all of them uphold similar values such as compassion, respect, charity, peace, and more.

Understanding this, it becomes incumbent upon the faithful to take on a new or renewed mission in their communities and societies today. We, the faithful, should take up our faith to inspire peace and build harmony across the lines of difference in terms of religion, race, and social divides. It is becoming evident that we need this more than ever as the traditional moral framework of American life is undermined, and essential values are stripped from the American public square.

American Founding Father John Adams wrote that “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He wrote this because he believed that self-governance was only possible by those who could live following a mature conscience, which more often than not required the wisdom and guidance of the faith traditions. Not only this, the many social services and voluntary associations, and activities that came out of a religious motivation have fallen by the wayside. As a result, the social fabric has frayed, becoming both poorer and less vibrant across the country.

In his award-winning book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, Dr. Moon uses other examples where people of faith changed the course of history. In many instances, it was people of faith who engaged with the broader public sphere to advance the cause of human rights and freedoms for all.

It is with this in mind that Dr. Moon encourages the faithful to be those to write the future:

Just as it was people of faith that engendered the American experiment, it should be the faithful that leads the world to peace by advocating the vision of One Family under God. All faiths should cooperate to build a world free of conflict, reflecting the highest spiritual ideals, rooted in universal principles and values that reflect God’s truth, righteousness, goodness, and love for all humanity. Only then could we harness the power of faith to truly transform the world and build true everlasting peace and harmony for all.

Faiths have always driven and inspired people to live for the sake of others and are essential to building a robust civil society. It’s time to reignite this tradition on the global scale, as Dr. Moon continues to inspire and remind us: 

For we, collectively, are the authors of this chapter in human history. Today our world is at a critical juncture, an inflection point. The choices we make, the standards we set, and the leadership we exhibit will have far-reaching implications for the future. Now is a time for clear vision and principled action. I hope that each one of you will become peacebuilders in your respective spheres of influence and join with us in the great movement for global peace.